


Blue Ridges

by Punk_Kenobi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: (The rating will go up too), (of all kinds), Eli's a country bumpkin and I wanna showcase that, M/M, Meet the Family, Modern AU, Moonshine, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Southern comforts, also Thrawn hates hot weather
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 06:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18231038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Punk_Kenobi/pseuds/Punk_Kenobi
Summary: Eli coaxes Thrawn to visit his parents and get some exposure to nature and culture that isn't upscale New York City.





	Blue Ridges

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so I haven't posted anything in a while. That's actually for good reason, as school has utterly kicked my ass in the past year or so and my writing steadily devolved into personal venting through fictional characters(I mean when isn't it that, though) that became a never-ending spiral. I'm still working on that piece, trying to make it palatable for readers as well as myself, but in the meantime I read the first Thrawn novel and I loved it. 
> 
> JessKo here on AO3(ysalamiri-queen on tumblr) helpfully gave me the plot idea for this very stress-relieving and self-care friendly AU idea that's a lot less stressful to write, so here's the first chapter! Nothing bad/dark here, folks, even if my brain can come up with a thousand things that could go wrong.

Thrawn normally prided himself on being able to adapt. His time on Earth, for example, had taught him much. Not only did humans prefer blatant lies that bolstered their feelings and altered their memories, they also loved covering up said feelings and memories with copious amounts of toxins. He’d been able to excel at providing both en masse back in New York City, passing his…situation off as anything from a major birth defect to being considered Violet Beauregard’s child while handing out drinks to Eli to give to those who would take them. He’d had to watch that movie with Eli, many years later, while drunk to fully understand the reference.

What all of his years had not prepared him for, however, was the little settlement Eli had called home, nestled between the nonexistent townships of Luck and Trust in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 _“It’ll be fun, I promise!”_ Eli had goaded while they packed their things.  _“’Sides, you don’t get much nature here in the big city. Figure I can show you some.”_

The abundance of nature proved to be obvious the moment Thrawn stepped out of the car. Heat, cloying and moist, wrapped around him in a way he’d never felt before. His clothes felt way too tight, clung too close to his body for comfort. The sun pressed down on him in a way few planets could manage.

“…I wish to go home.” Thrawn said.

Eli bust out laughing at the deadpan misery dripping from Thrawn’s tone. Shutting the car door, he wiped his forehead with a whistle.

“Phew…knew you might not like it.” Eli grinned. “Tends to get pretty warm here in the summer. It’s worse out of the mountains, though. Go to Raleigh or Richmond or even out towards the ocean where it’s flat and you’ll be really cooking.”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Thrawn surveyed his surroundings, curious. “Is this the only home in the area?”

“Well, not really. My aunts and uncles live up the way a few minutes and our neighbors aren’t too far apart. We have some privacy but it’s nice to know family and neighbors aren’t too far away. Aside from us, though, this little area is pretty much it for tens of miles.”

The sunglasses he wore helped block out much of the sun’s rays as well as shielded the glow of his eyes from the curious children that crowded the front porch and lawn.

_Their faces glow with heat, both external and their own, from a mix of cautious curiosity and physical exertion. There are twelve children altogether. The youngest appears to be no older than infancy, while the oldest seems to be an adolescent, bordering on adulthood. Two are identical in appearance. The oldest and the twins have similar appearances to Eli, albeit with minor variations of hair and eye color, suggesting a limited but not homogenous genetic diversity. They are his siblings. The others are of possible connected lineage._

“Why’s he blue?” One of the younger ones asked guilelessly.

“It’s ‘cuz he’s sick!” One of the twins replied.

“Ew, cooties!” One of the younger boys shrieked. “Yuck!”

“No, not that kinda sick, dummy!”

The eldest girl laughed and ushered them away toward their toys, then headed back to them. “Sorry about that. Mom’s in the kitchen, Eli.”

“Thanks, Priss.” Eli glanced at Thrawn before heading up to the door. “I’m the oldest of four. That’s Priscilla, the second oldest, and the twins are my youngest sisters, Sarah and Beth. Mom stopped after them.”

“I assume your mother told your siblings about me, at least.” Thrawn followed, looking around at the quaint décor the front porch sported with disdain. The gaudy colors of the little men in hats disturbed him on a level he didn’t understand. “And what we discussed.”

“Yeah, yeah, circulatory issues and eye damage as a kid. Mom, Dad, and my sisters know. I didn’t know my cousins would be over, but their parents won’t believe them since they’re little kids.” Eli nodded as they headed indoors. “Watch out for the dogs.”

“The what-“

Before he could question further, two giant, furry beasts were on him, barking cacophonously. Thrawn’s fight or flight response engaged momentarily before he realized that the dogs were just enthusiastic, not murderous. Still, he shoved them away to no avail. Only when Eli whistled sharply did they retreat.

_They are of a breed I have not seen before. Much furrier than those the apartment-dwelling New Yorkers tend to favor. Large bodies, stocky build. Worker-class dogs, I assume, meant for farm work and other jobs. Possible guard dogs, though their temperaments seem too placid for such training. Still, their size and overeager temperaments could prove dangerous._

“Thrawn, that’s Jojo and Tank.” Eli chuckled. “They’re harmless. Won’t hurt a fly unless we tell ‘em to. They just think you’re weird is all.”

Thrawn didn’t even know he’d been holding his breath. Exhaling, he was gratified to know that his calm façade hadn’t dropped.

“They…”

“Surprised you?” Eli ushered the dogs into the living room space. “That’s surprising, nothing catches you off guard.”

“I admit, I’m finding all of this rather…” Thrawn surveyed the space, thankful for the air conditioning as he trailed off. “Perhaps I should have a glass of water. The heat is intolerable.”

“Sure. You go sit down and I’ll get you that, then you can meet my mom.” Eli led Thrawn to a comfortable armchair and sat him down, whistling for the dogs to sit at his feet. “You can pet the dogs, too, if you like. They like getting scritches behind the ears.”

As Eli left, Thrawn recognized that he was…overwhelmed. Sitting stiffly in the chair, he watched as Jojo and Tank settled at his feet. He had never understood the concept of a pet. The Chiss didn’t keep small creatures under their ownership, not that there were many on Csilla, and not when many moved around for various duties. Breaking routine to feed and care for an animal seemed needless when working animals were a thing of the past, droids taking their place many millennia ago. But then, Thrawn remembered, Earth was not so technologically advanced.

A smaller animal jumped up onto his lap, letting out a quiet mewl.

_Patches of white, orange, brown, and black fur dot this animal’s hide. Its claws dig into my skin uncomfortably, yet it bears no ill will towards me. It kneads its paws on my leg before settling down, emitting a low hum on both inhale and exhale that has soothing properties, both for itself and for those around it. They are social animals by nature, then, yet there is only one here._

The fur was soft as he pet its head and he felt the tension in his spine melt slightly. While the dogs were a source of discomfort, this animal proved to be much the opposite.

“That’s a cat. Her name is Patches.” A glass of water appeared in front of him. “We let the twins name her.”

Eli appeared in front of Thrawn before he could notice, smiling kindly before settling down on the couch next to his chair. The fact that he was so distracted spoke volumes about how unsettled he was. Taking the glass, he sipped from it politely despite wishing to down the glass in one go.

“A…cat.” Thrawn tried the unfamiliar syllable, then his eyes glowed brighter in realization. “I’ve seen them before. They tend to run from me or let out a sound of warning.”

“Ah, those are the jumpy street cats of New York for you.” Eli groaned as Tank jumped up onto him instead. “Patches isn’t like them. Born a barn cat, she decided she liked the indoors better. She won’t hiss at you unless you touch her feet or her belly.”

“I see.” Thrawn looked down at Patches, continuing to scratch behind her ears. “She is warm…warmer than humans.”

“Yup, cats have a higher temperature than us. They make great heating pads…I’m surprised she likes someone as cold as you.” Eli grinned as his eyes scanned over the scene. “You like her, don’t you?”

“I do find her presence…soothing, yes.”

“We could always get one, keep the rats away at The Slab.” Eli offered, but Thrawn shook his head. “Oh fine. You’ll get a pet one day.”

“We’ve had this discussion before. I do not see the point in-“

Before Thrawn could finish, a short woman bustled into the room. Her hair was gray, pulled back into a ponytail, and her eyes softened at the two of them.

_Her stance is cautious, yet cordial. She isn’t surprised, given that Eli already warned her preemptively about my appearance, and yet she still seems taken aback all the same. Her throat tightens even as she maintains a friendly façade. She does not seem to believe her son’s explanation now that she sees me in person._

“Hello. My name is Mary.” Mary smiled, holding out her hand. “Mary Vanto.”

“My name is Thrawn.” Thrawn set Patches down on the rug and stood, shaking her hand as he bowed slightly. “A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Oh goodness.” Mary peered over at her son with a sly grin. “A lot more polite than some of your former friends, huh?”

“It’s not like I’ve brought home many friends, mom.” Eli snorted. “And my high school buddies don’t count. They just liked that I had access to paintball guns and a great range.”

“Are you military?” Mary asked pointedly. “I haven’t seen manners like that except from people who’ve come back from war.”

“I am not.” Thrawn felt odd having to deny, even a couple years after living on Earth. “I was…raised properly and to respect my elders, that’s all.”

Mary chuckled. “Well, I am only forty-four, thank you! No need in calling me ma’am, just call me Mary or Mom, if you’d like.”

“Thank you, Mary.” Thrawn nodded, mentally reevaluating that a forty-four year old human was not considered nearing elder status. Considering he rarely interacted with guests at The Slab, he had little frame of reference for how humans gauged aging. He gestured quickly to a framed piece of abstract art on the wall to redirect the conversation. “Your décor is certainly unique.”

“Eli painted that!” Mary plopped down next to her son and pinched his cheek. “Didn’t you?”

“Mom!” Eli groused, though it came off as more of a whine.

“He was just six years old, you know? I don’t really know what it’s supposed to be. Eli here’s never been good with art as you can probably figure. He’s a numbers kinda boy. Still, the colors are nice enough that I keep it hanging up in the living room since the fridge is pretty much spoken for.”

“It was supposed to be a flower meadow…” Eli pointed to it. “But Ms. Lowe didn’t see the splotches as flowers.”

“And neither did your mother.” Thrawn pointed out.

“What did you think it was?”

_His face flushes with embarrassment. It is not an insult that cuts him deep, but mock frustration twists his features all the same. It is…endearing how he defends his primitive, childish artwork with pride. Many other worlds and even some in this world would consider his attempt a masterpiece if done by someone older and more experienced. As it is, it is merely…_

“Interesting.” Thrawn replied easily.

He took some amusement in seeing the halfhearted pout that Eli gave him.

“You always say that when you mean something is shit.” Eli’s growing smile belied his tone. “Well, at least you’re honest somehow.”

“Oh, there’s certainly a charm to it, Eli.” Thrawn smiled. “Your expression of color was quite astute for someone so underdeveloped.”

“You mean a kid.” Eli glanced at him and then his mother, then back. “My friend Thrawn has an….interesting vocabulary.”

“Human children are woefully underdeveloped when they are born, are they not?”

A few seconds of tense, awkward silence followed.

“I’ve got dinner in the works, so you two relax for a little while. Get your things from the car when you feel like it.” Mary popped up from the couch. “I have to go check on those muffins.”

_Her stance as she leaves is tense. Her muscles twitch in her face, as if trying not to belie hidden emotion before she is out of our periphery. She is discomfited by my presence._

Only when Mary was out of view did Thrawn relax minutely in his chair. Eli noticed and laid a hand on his.

“That wasn’t very subtle of you, y’know.” Eli chided gently. “I told her you tend to act a bit funny. She probably thinks you’re autistic and got bad vaccines or something but whatever. They don’t actually cause that and my sisters and I got my shots for school but she’s not entirely convinced.”

Thrawn only had the vaguest idea of what that meant because of the time Eli had caught the flu and mentioned he’d forgotten his vaccine. Humans, he’d found, were ridiculously fragile and prone to illness of all kinds. Aside from that knowledge, the rest was just more unknown drivel he had tuned out. Only when he felt Eli gently uncurl his fingers from the rough fabric of the armchair did he realize he was showing discomfort of his own.

“Hey, if you ever need some time to yourself, you can always go for a walk in the woods.” Eli soothed. “It’s always helped me clear my head.”

“I’m fine.” Thrawn frowned. “Besides, the outside is intolerable. I’m better off in here.”

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.” Eli gestured to the window. “Plus, aside from the heat, the weather’s perfect. Why do you think the kids are outside?”

“Have I ever told you about Csilla?” Thrawn countered with an edge of firmness in his tone.

“Let’s see…” Eli groaned. “The first time was when you decided to sleep in the walk-in freezer in The Slab after experimenting with your Meltdown Mojitos. Third day on the job and I hadn’t even officially met you. You were doubled over, facedown in a bucket, and you complained incoherently that it was too hot outside so you took a nap in there from closing until opening. I thought you were crazy since it was the middle of winter with six inches of snow on the ground and nearly kicked you out of the bar. I also thought you were dead.”

Thrawn blinked owlishly. “…I don’t remember much of that evening.”

“I should think you wouldn’t. You’ve mentioned it many times since. Yeah, Csilla’s cold.” Eli snorted, a look of dawning realization upon his face. “Hey, Thrawn?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what Virginia’s state alcohol is?”

“We are not in Virginia.”

“No…but we might as well be. In the middle of the mountains, there’s moonshine.”

Thrawn’s eyes widened slightly behind his sunglasses.

“I have heard of it…extremely potent and made in bathtubs by the rural poor. Most cannot handle it.”

Eli winced. “Yeah, sums it up well. I can get a hold of some if you want to try it out. There’s breweries that make it legally now but for now, while we’re here, I can get you the good stuff.”

_His eyes hold a spark of mischief within them. His muscles tense not with anxiety but with anticipation. Clearly, the thought of drinking illegal, potent alcohol is exciting to him…or watching me drink it. Definitely the latter._

“That would be amenable.” Thrawn nodded. “Where do you get such libations?”

“Easy. My dad has a friend down the road with a giant still, so after dinner we can get him to take us.”

Thrawn pursed his lips. How many people would he have to meet here? He was already overwhelmed as it was, it wouldn’t do to have too many people questioning his skin and eyes. He tried to live mostly under the radar and in New York, he could. Here, where there were more animals than people, he could not.

“Don’t worry, I know that look.” Eli squeezed his hand comfortingly. “You can stay here if you’d like and decompress in our room. I’ll bring it back here.”

“I’m fine, Eli.” Thrawn turned to him, his eyes narrowing. “You worry too much.”

“No, you don’t recognize your feelings easily.” Eli stood and patted his shoulder. “You’re going outside while we’re here, mark my word, even if it’s just to get us some privacy when the twins start running amok in the house. I’ll go get the bags from the car.”

Eli left Thrawn alone, surrounded by animals and a cozy home filled with unfamiliarity.

=======

_The bustle of the city, along with all of the sensory input and the billions of concurrent thoughts possible, doesn’t exist here. The only sounds audible are the laughter and shrieks of the children outside and the sounds of a meal being prepared from the kitchen. The snoring from Tank and the panting from Jojo are quiet and the purring of Patches is soothing. There are birds chirping outside and the distant sound of farm equipment._

_Of all my time in exile, between isolation in the wilderness and the urban sprawl, this is a space where I feel attuned to the rhythms of the world around me without an immediate need for survival. I can feel my muscles relax minutely at the thought. Full relaxation is a rare gift I could see myself attaining here. Eli thinks I despise this environment. I do not enjoy the heat by any means, but the rest is…pleasant. I shall endeavor to hide such from him._

_Perhaps he will buy me more moonshine if he thinks I don’t like it here._


End file.
